Religious Education at Minterne

Statement of intent

"We live in a dynamic ever-changing society full of different perspectives, beliefs and cultures. Learning about these things helps the pupils develop a genuine understanding about the world and the people in it. And that understanding will help them to shape the society of the future - a better society."   Lyndsey Wilkinson Head of RE at Redhill Academy Nottingham

The aim of RE in Minterne is to engage pupils in examining some of life’s ‘big questions’ and to look at how religions and other world views, such as Humanism address these questions. Pupils will find out what people believe and what difference this makes to how they live. In this way, we hope pupils at Minterne will begin to make sense of religion and be able to reflect on their own ideas and ways of living.

SMSC and British Values

RE supports and promotes the spiritual, moral social and cultural (SMSC) development of pupils in Minterne. For example, through RE lessons, pupils gain self-knowledge, moral courage and an appreciation for the natural world and the human capacity to love and care for others.

RE also makes a huge contribution to the promotion of British Values, which are in many ways universal human values. By studying other world views and value systems, pupils can learn to be respectful of difference so that they can celebrate the diversity in their communities. Pupils learn about the importance of democracy and issues of individual liberty through the study of religion and religious leaders. Through RE lessons they will examine different codes for living and the importance of rules and fairness in society.

How is RE taught in lessons

RE lessons in Minterne seek the active response of pupils to what they are learning about. They value pupils’ ideas and concerns, sometimes challenging them and putting up alternative views for their consideration. Lessons are open ended to allow the exploration of ideas and often raise questions that speak to the pupils’ own human and personal experiences. Through studying religions and religious ideas, pupils can begin to apply the meaning and significance of what they have learned to their own lives.  RE lessons in Minterne are about developing the skills of living in a plural society by developing attitudes of tolerance and empathy towards others.

How is progression ensured in RE?

In Minterne, every year group follows the Kent SACRE Agreed Syllabus for RE (updated 2023) and each year group follows the programmes of study provided by RE Today Services (see Minterne’s RE skills progression doc). Each year group has a main religion or world view to study over two terms but pupils are encouraged through other units to build on their knowledge of main world religions and to link their learning, spotting similarities and differences and beginning to build their own views. Every lesson from the programme of study is based around a key question and in this way, each RE lesson is an enquiry; it challenges pupils to ask more questions, to research and discover so that by the end of the lesson they can respond to the original key question.

The main religions studied are: Year 3 What does it mean to be a Christian in Britain today?

                                                        Year 4 What does it mean to be a Hindu in Britain today?

                                                        Year 5 What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?

                                                        Year 6 What matters most to Christians and Humanists?

How is RE assessed?

Each lesson (or key Question) from the programme of study has learning outcomes divided into Emerging, Expected or Exceeding. This allows teachers to track pupil progress through the lesson and through the unit. At the end of each unit, based on their knowledge of pupil responses during lessons and through work in RE books, teachers will assess each pupil as Emerging, Expected or Exceeding for that particular unit.

Assemblies

At the start of the year the Head of PSCHE and RE meet with the Head of School to plan assemblies through the year. As much as possible the most important religious festivals from the main world religions are included in assemblies taken by the senior leadership team. The Christian celebrations of Harvest, Christmas and Easter are given special significance.

Does my child have to attend RE lessons?

RE is a statutory subject in all schools in England, except for those children withdrawn at the request of their parents. (Education Act 2002, section 80). It is parents’ legal right to withdraw their children from Religious Education.

What do schools have to teach in RE?

According to the latest guidance from the government, via the National Curriculum for England, every school needs to have a broad and balanced curriculum that:

• promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, social, mental and physical development of pupils.

• prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

• promotes British values.

Schools also have statutory responsibility to promote community cohesion (Education Act, 2006), and have to demonstrate that they are “Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation, from whatever source” (The Prevent duty – departmental advice for schools and childcare providers”, June 2015)